Chapter 143: Flight

"You look incredibly punchable when you say things like that," Liu Chang said, looking at the three children. "All three of you look punchable."

"Punchable or not, we’re still older than you," the three children replied, looking up at him.

"How much longer until we reach Hebi?" Liu Chang asked, shifting the subject.

"Almost there, I expect we'll arrive shortly."

"Then what do we do about this big guy?" Liu Chang stooped down and patted the centipede’s carapace.

"I’ll keep an eye on it," the third child said. "You guys go into the city, grab some food, and get back quickly. We can’t linger here. The beast tide behind us is catching up, and the bird tide ahead has gathered around Hebi. This city will probably be destroyed in a few days; we can’t afford to stay that long."

"Understood," Liu Chang said. "Are you taking it out to hunt? Will it be okay after not eating for so many days?"

"It’s fine. Insects are naturally more resistant to hunger than mammals," the third child explained. "But it’s still better to get it something to eat. If it gets truly hungry, its self-awareness will fight back, and it won’t follow our commands."

"Your control over it is that weak?" Liu Chang frowned.

"Yes, very weak. We are its 'mothers,' but we cannot dictate its thoughts," the three children said. "Li Qingshui can, but we can't. We can only guide it; we cannot command it. In other words, we can tell it what is right and nudge its thinking in that direction, but the actual decision to act—and how—is up to its own judgment. For instance, if we told it to die right now, it absolutely wouldn't listen."

"Oh, so that’s how it is," Liu Chang mused. "Can we get a flying creature instead? If we were riding something that could fly, we’d travel much faster, right?"

"They’re too hard to catch. This thing is only under our control because of its low intelligence, and the process of subduing it took a very long time. It’s not impossible to catch a flying creature, but I doubt there’s one capable of carrying all of us," the children said, gesturing toward the group behind them. "A dozen people? That would have to be one massive bird. Besides, birds are more intelligent than insects and even harder to control."

"Though, it’s not entirely impossible," the eldest added after a moment of thought. "We can try it if the opportunity arises, but for now, this giant centipede is the safest bet."

As they spoke, the trees in the forest began to thin out.

"We’re almost at Hebi," Liu Chang said, observing the increasingly stunted trees. "You guys stay here. Look after the others. I’ll go in, scout the situation, trade for some food and clean water, and come right back."

"Fine, go ahead," the three boys said, sitting on the centipede’s head.

"Hey, you guys stay put. I’ll be back soon," Liu Chang said, turning to the rest of the group.

"Should I come with you?" Xiao Jing asked. "I can help you watch for trouble."

"No need. Stay here; I’ll be back in no time." With that, Liu Chang jumped off the centipede’s back and followed the scent of humans, sprinting toward Hebi.

Once the trees cleared, buildings came into view. Just like in Xinxiang, the city looked dilapidated, overgrown with thickets and wild plants. The mingled scent of insects and animals hung in the air, letting Liu Chang know that the people here were not living well.

Following the scent of humanity, Liu Chang reached the city center of Hebi.

It was a cluster of residential buildings and government offices. Only two shops were open, while all others were boarded up and sealed tight. Above the square, flocks of flying creatures hovered, waiting to hunt any living thing that appeared below.

Hunting humans was not a complex task, and Liu Chang knew the intent of these hovering beasts. Wanting to avoid trouble, he dashed straight into one of the open shops.

"Boss, do you have clean water and food?" Inside, he found a middle-aged man with a shaved head.

"Food and water?" The bald man examined Liu Chang’s accent, noting the faint regional lingo, and then scanned the dust and creases on his clothes. "You’re from out of town?"

"Yes, from out of town," Liu Chang replied, surprised by the man’s perceptiveness. "Is that a problem? I’d like to trade some high-quality weapons for food and drinking water."

"That’s doable, but I’m not really interested in weapons," the bald man said, eyeing Liu Chang. "Are you from the south or the north?"

"The north," Liu Chang answered.

"I see. How about this: tell me everything you know, and I’ll give you some food and water for free." The shopkeeper reached inside and pulled out a bamboo basket filled with homemade compressed biscuits and some strange, vacuum-sealed liquid food.

"Fine, but this doesn't seem like enough," Liu Chang said, looking at the basket. "There are over a dozen of us!"

"I’m not short on supplies," the bald man shouted toward the back. Two other men, also bald and wearing camouflage, emerged. "As long as you provide something valuable—something that makes me feel your information is worth it—you can take as much as you want."

"Oh?" Liu Chang looked at the two men who had appeared, then back at the bald shopkeeper. He realized this man must hold significant power in the area—it was easy to tell. In this age of red mist and bird tides, anyone capable of keeping a shop open was undoubtedly a local power broker.

Furthermore, judging by their attire, they were likely a formal military faction.

Realizing this, Liu Chang didn't waste any time and told them everything he knew, excluding only information about Li Qingshui.

"Is what you’re saying true?" The three bald men’s eyes widened after hearing his report.

"It is. You can judge for yourselves," Liu Chang said, ignoring their expressions. "You can easily deduce the truth of it by cross-referencing my information with the current situation, and it shouldn't be hard to judge the value and scope of what I’ve told you."

"How long can your food last?"

"Three and a half days," the leader replied.

"Then give me ten portions of three-and-a-half-day rations and some fresh water, and we’ll call it even." Liu Chang began gathering the rations himself.

Behind him, the bald man watched him for a moment before asking, "What is your surname, sir?"

"Liu," Liu Chang replied, stuffing supplies into his pack.

"Could you please come with us to the military base? We need to strictly verify the authenticity of this information," the bald man said politely.

"No," Liu Chang replied bluntly—he didn't have the time to "cooperate with an investigation."

"And what if I insist?" The bald man remained polite, but he drew a pistol and aimed it at Liu Chang’s back.